[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19735-19736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9015]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 71 / Wednesday, April 12, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19735]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Little Bear-Wilson Timber Sale, Gallatin National Forest, 
Gallatin County, MT

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION:  Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of a proposed action to manipulate forest vegetation on about 
500 acres. This area lies about 13 miles south of Bozeman, Montana.
    The proposed action would harvest timber on about 500 acres. The 
purpose of this timber harvest is to provide revenue to facilitate the 
funding of land exchanges as directed in the Gallatin Land 
Consolidation Act of 1998 (PL 105-267). Approximately 2.5 miles of 
temporary roads will be constructed to facilitate removal of wood 
products. These temporary roads will be obliterated following post-
harvest activities. Approximately 3.8 miles of existing road will be 
reconstructed. As estimated 50 to 100 miles of existing road will be 
closed to use by passenger vehicle (highway vehicles greater than 50 
inches wide). Watershed restoration treatments would depend on the 
individual road conditions but could include road closures by using 
gates, berms or other barriers; installing water bars, removing 
culverts, ripping/seeding/slashing, and in a few segments, 
recontouring. Some roads may be converted to trails. All main roads 
which have been historically open to the public, such as Little Bear 
road, would remain open to motorized use. Where consistent with the 
purpose of providing land exchange revenues, treatments to improve the 
visual quality altered by past clearcutting will be used.

DATES: Initial comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be 
received in writing no later than May 12, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Jan Lerum, District Ranger, 3710 
Fallon Street, Suite C, Bozeman, MT 59718. The responsible official is 
David P. Garber, Forest Supervisor, Gallatin National Forest.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marsha Hollander, Project Leader, 
Bozeman Ranger District, at (406) 522-2558.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: No clearcutting or permanent road 
construction is proposed. About 257 acres to be harvested in which 85% 
of the mature trees are cut and 15% left. About 156 acres to be 
harvested in which 60% of the mature trees are cut and 40% left. About 
59 acres to be harvested in which 50% of the mature trees are cut and 
50% left. About 28 acres to be harvested in which 90% of the mature 
trees are cut and 10% left. Site-specific, forest plan amendments may 
be proposed for visual quality, road Density and vegetation structural 
diversity standards.
    The project area is located in the Little Bear, Big Bear, Wilson, 
and Jack Creek drainages (specifically, T3S, R5E, Section 32; T4S, R4E, 
Sections 12, 16 and 24; and T4S, R5E, sections 4, 8, 14, 16, 18, 19 and 
22, PMM). The scope of this proposal is limited to timber harvest, post 
harvest regeneration treatments, area improvements, road restoration 
and related mitigation requirements within the project area.
    Public participation is important to this analysis. Part of the 
goal of public involvement is to identify additional issues and to 
refine the general, tentative issues. A scoping notice describing the 
project was mailed to those who requested information on timber harvest 
activities on the Gallatin National forests. The United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service will be consulted concerning effects to threatened and 
endangered species.
    Preliminary issues identified by Forest Service specialists include 
effects to water quality, sensitive, threatened, and endangered 
wildlife species habitat, big game security, sensitive fish species 
habitat, visual quality, recreational access, old growth forests, and 
timber sale revenue. The analysis will consider all reasonably 
foreseeable activities.
    People may visit with Forest Service officials at any time during 
the analysis and prior to the decision. Two periods are specifically 
designated for comments on the analysis: (1) During the scoping process 
and (2) during the draft EIS period.
    During the scoping process, the Forest Service is seeking 
information and comments from Federal, State and local agencies and 
other individuals or organization who may be interested in or affected 
by the proposed action. The agency invites written comments and 
suggestions on this action, particularly in terms of identification of 
issues and alternative development.
    The draft EIS should be available for review in August, 2000. The 
final EIS is scheduled for completion in January, 2001.
    The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of 
availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest service believes it is important to give reviewers 
notice at this early stage of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
the draft environmental impact statement must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may 
be waived or dismissed by the courts. Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. 
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338, (E.D. Wis. 1980) Because of these 
court rulings, it is important that those interested in this proposed 
action participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in the final environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific

[[Page 19736]]

as possible. It is helpful if comments refer to specific pages or 
chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy 
of the draft environmental impact statement or the merits of the 
alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may 
wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    The responsible official will make the decision on this proposal 
after considering comments and responses, environmental consequences 
discussed in the final EIS, and applicable laws, regulations, and 
policies. The decision and reasons for the decision will be documented 
in a Record of Decision.

    Dated: March 24, 2000.
David P. Garber,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 00-9015 Filed 4-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M